Legalize marijauna is question 3 in my state. I intend to do my part in keeping it illegal.

The problem with much of the War on Drugs is how much of it is illegitimate; even the Prohibitionists realized that the federal government needed a constitutional amendment to have that sort of power. (Ironically, I hate precedent, thinking it little more than the judiciary playing the children's game of 'Telephone' with legal rights... and often cited as justification for the War on Drugs in rulings.)

Consider, for a moment rulings like Raich wherein the government said: "even if there is no actual market, because it is illegal, we can still regulate it because if it wasn't illegal it would have a market and would therefore be subject to regulation." That sort of reasoning is extraordinarily dangerous, for it starts from a nullity and draws a conclusion from it.

Consider, as well, the impact on the fourth and fifth amendments. No knock raids are common, and "oops, wrong house" raids are as well; there is little more unreasonable then some group of heavily-armed thugs breaking into your house without warning. The police also can "arrest property", assuming that it is (or would be, or was) used in connection with drugs... gutting the 5th's protection of property.

Thus, considering it's inherent illegitimacy, and it's resultant consequences of the dissolution of rights, I cannot condone the War on Drugs in any manner -- even if I disdain them and think it's stupid to ruin your body, and life, with them, the cost of them being illegal (especially when the roots of it are illegitimate) is far, far too high.

18 posted on 10/19/2012 9:03:36 AM PDT by OneWingedShark
(Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)